Audio description is in its infancy in China, both in terms of the provision of the service and as an academic object of study. This article provides a useful insight into what Chinese audio description users think of this access service and how they consume it. This information was gathered through two different questionnaires, mostly distributed in the city of Shanghai, although not exclusively. The results show what the profile of the audio description user is, how satisfied they are with the service that is currently available and their expectations for the future. Only after identifying the areas that matter to users the most can both science and industry contribute to guaranteeing their rights in the best possible way.

• Points of interest
• Media accessibility, specifically audio description, is in its infancy in Mainland China as an academic object of study. This study contributes to start bridging this research gap.
• Regarding their access to information and culture, the voices of Chinese persons with sight loss are hardly heard. This is the first study that takes into consideration their opinion and experience with audio description.
• The results of this study have had a direct impact on how audio description is delivered in Shanghai.
• The comparison between China and Europe indicates where audio description in China is in relation to countries in which this access service has already come of age.
• The results of this study are key to developing audio description in Mainland China following the United Nation’s Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities’ slogan: ‘nothing about us without us’.